Scout leader abused young boys who say 'devastating' abuse has ruined their lives.

Derbyshire Scout Leader Sentenced for Sexual Abuse

A Derbyshire scout leader has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for sexually abusing two young boys over a number of years. Douglas Anthony Whitelam, 70, was found guilty of multiple counts of indecent assault and indecency with a child following a retrial in March.

The court heard that Whitelam, a former Rolls-Royce worker, plied one of the victims with alcohol before carrying out sexual acts with him. This led to the victim developing alcoholism and suffering significant psychological damage.

The second victim, who was abused in the 1990s while Whitelam was involved in the scout movement, also experienced severe psychological impact. Whitelam was a teenager when he first abused the first victim while on an apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce.

In victim impact statements, both victims spoke of the devastating impact Whitelam's abuse had on their lives. The first victim said, "The impact this has had on my life has been devastating. Plying me with alcohol was the start of my alcoholism which has stopped me from holding down a job and a number of sexual relationships. The memories of what he did to me will stay with me for the rest of my life. No sentence can be long enough."

The second victim said, "He deserves everything he gets and I have no bad feelings about him going to prison. He totally ruined my life from a young age. His huge facade was him being a pillar of the community and a scout leader, he's an absolute fraud. His sexual abuse of me took away my trust and caused profound mental issues."

In a statement, the Scouts said they were aware of the case and had supported the police investigation. They confirmed that Whitelam had not been a member of the Scouts since 2005 and would never be allowed to volunteer again. They emphasized that there is no place in the movement for anyone who behaves in this way.

Sergeant Mark Sharma, who investigated the case, said, "The trauma of the abuse caused by Tony Whitelam has had a lasting effect on both victims. Their bravery in coming forward and strength through this court case cannot be understated. At no point did Whitelam show any remorse or accept responsibility for his actions forcing his victims to give evidence twice in court further adding to their stress and anxiety. His sentence will hopefully give the victims some form of closure and encourage other victims of such abuse to come forward."

In addition to the prison sentence, Whitelam was placed on the sex offender register for life and given a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.